Round of 32 produces dramatic finishes and upsets at 2026 World Cup
FIFA announced the round of 32 schedule for the 2026 World Cup, with 32 teams set to compete in 16 knockout matches across North America. Al Jazeera clarified that the expanded 48-team tournament would advance the top two teams from each group plus the eight best third-placed sides, outlining the knockout format. The BBC explained that head-to-head results, goal difference and a conduct score would be used to rank the third-placed teams. Al Jazeera later confirmed that Mexico, the United States and Germany secured round of 32 berths, while Haiti, Turkey and Tunisia were eliminated after the group stage. Yahoo Sports noted that with the final group matches underway, several nations clinched their spots while others vied for the remaining places, and AP reported that the co-hosts United States, Canada and Mexico had already qualified.
When the knockout phase began, Yahoo Sports reported that four round of 32 matches produced two penalty shootouts and three stoppage-time goals. Paraguay eliminated Germany in a surprise upset, and Canada, Brazil and Morocco also advanced to the round of 16. The Ringer highlighted that the round of 32 drew attention to favorites and underdogs as the matches unfolded. Overall, the round of 32 set the stage for the remainder of the tournament, with the schedule continuing through the later stages.
